Residents of Bakau were left stunned after a 16-year-old girl, who had gone missing for days, was discovered inside the house of a man in his 40s, popularly known as Lefeh.
The girl was sent to a nearby shop by her mum,where she reportedly bumped into Lefeh. He allegedly talked her into following him home. After spending hours there, she tried to return home, only to find her family compound gate locked. Stranded, she headed back to his house in Wasulu Kunda.
Her family launched a desperate search when she failed to return, posting her photos on social media and alerting the police. The community feared the worst.
But the shocking truth came out when the missing teen was found in Lefeh’s house, sending waves of anger and disbelief through the neighbourhood. Police in Bakau New Town moved in quickly and arrested him. At the station, he admitted the girl was with him, and he slept with her twice.
Now, in a twist, Lefeh’s family is said to be scrambling to beg the girl’s relatives for forgiveness, worried that if the case goes to court, he could face a harsh sentence.
”I got information that they are going to the Kairaba Police Station today to negotiate closing the case,” said a source.
In The Gambia, the legal age of consent is 18, which means it is illegal for anyone to participate in sexual activity with a person below this age, even if both parties are willing.